Key Points

Sham acupuncture reduced hot flashes more than pill placebo and was associated with fewer adverse events in breast cancer survivors.

Electroacupuncture produced the greatest reduction in hot flashes.

In a study assessing placebo effects reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Mao et al found that sham electroacupuncture produced a greater reduction in hot flashes than placebo pills and gabapentin, with the greatest reduction being achieved with real electroacupuncture.

Study Details

In the study, 120 women with bothersome hot flashes at least twice per day were randomly assigned to receive electroacupuncture twice per week for 2 weeks and then once per week for 6 weeks (n = 30), sham electroacupuncture (n = 32), gabapentin at 900 mg once daily (n = 28), or a placebo pill for 8 weeks (n = 30). The primary endpoint was change in the hot flash composite score (HFCS) between sham acupuncture and pill placebo at week 8; secondary endpoints included group comparisons and evaluation at week 24 for durability of effects.

The investigators concluded: “Acupuncture produced larger placebo and smaller nocebo effects than did pills for the treatment of hot flashes. [Electroacupuncture] may be more effective than [gabapentin], with fewer adverse effects for managing hot flashes among breast cancer survivors; however, these preliminary findings need to be confirmed in larger randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up.”